The Bird Man

Joe Rogers is so wild about the hawks, owls, eagles, and other birds of prey that he’s devoted his life to protecting them.

As director of the Wildlife Recovery Association in Shepherd, Mich., (pop. 1,536) Rogers—also known as The Bird Man—not only rescues sick or injured birds and returns them to the wild, but helps others understand and appreciate these beautiful creatures and their role in nature.

“I want people to understand and respect them, so they will want to care about their future,” says Rogers, 50, who has rescued injured raptors—including some that have been shot, hit with baseball bats and tennis rackets, or struck by cars.

Rogers grew up in a family that loved wild birds and was active in environmental issues, so it was natural for him to study wildlife biology in college and become a field biologist specializing in birds of prey.

“I originally just wanted to study animals in the wild, but there was so much more that needed to be done,” Rogers says. He and other outdoor enthusiasts founded the Wildlife Recovery Association in 1975.

Rogers and his wife, Barb, a middle school science teacher, own 200 acres of wetland property north of Shepherd, and their home is the headquarters of the Wildlife Recovery Association. The couple and their daughter, Joanna, 15, care for 100 to 300 injured birds every year.

The organization has no paid staff, just the Rogers family and a group of dedicated volunteers. They work among the trees, where large cages and flight pens provide a natural environment for recovering birds. A small pond and swampland provide a runway for waterfowl, such as loons.

“There’s a special bond between Joe and the birds,” says Joanne Williams, a Shepherd resident and state coordinator of the Michigan Loon Preservation Association. “Joe really cares about the birds, and he wants other people to care about them, too.”

Rogers keeps about 20 raptors for educational purposes and takes them on visits to nearly 150 groups each year.

“These birds belong to the people, but if folks don’t know they exist, they won’t work to save them,” Rogers says. “I especially want to reach the kids, because their generation hasn’t experienced these birds.”

Rogers can quiet a group of fidgety Cub Scouts as soon as he opens one of his traveling boxes and brings out a great horned owl. Walking among the boys, he shows them the bird’s sharp talons and fierce beak. They are equally amazed by a rough-legged hawk, a northern harrier, a snowy owl, and a vulture.

“We just don’t get to see birds like that very often,” says Bruce Chapman, master of Cub Scout Pack 9 in Lansing, Mich. “The boys are fascinated to see these incredible birds up close.”

Fees from The Bird Man’s educational programs and membership dues to the association help to pay for food, medicine, and shelter for rescued birds. The group’s 600 members receive a newsletter keeping them informed about Rogers’ work, successful rescues, and the need to preserve the wilderness for the birds.

“Caring for injured animals doesn’t do any good if there’s no place for them to live,” Rogers says. “We need to make sure these birds are around for future generations to enjoy.”

Elizabeth Johnson is a freelance writer in Lansing, Mich.

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